Shannon Gaels win Co Jnr Title.

October 10, 2013

Ladies Junior A County Final
Shannon Gaels 1-9
St. Ciaran's 0-4

Shannon Gaels captured the Junior A Championship in Tulsk on Sunday last when they defeated St. Ciaran's with an overall powerful display in a great team performance. Poor shooting from the Croghan/Drumlion/Cortober outfit left the West Roscommon girls hanging on until Aisling McDermott came off the bench and hit a super goal in the 41st minute to end the game as a contest.
Shannon Gaels were the better balanced team throughout with a faultless defence and in particular the matchups where Martina Hanley had a great tussle with Rachel Fitzmaurice and Connacht Junior Player of the Year Tess Murtagh limited Laura Fleming to just one point from play. At full back Clodagh Corrigan just shaded a great battle with Elaine Daly, wing-back Aideen Filan ran Aisling O'Hart close for the Player of the Match while Niamh O'Beirne was a rock at the heart of the defence.

The lively Aine O'Dowd got the scoreboard operator moving with an early point before Laura Fleming replied for St. Ciaran's in the next passage of play. Tess Murtagh then finished off a sweeping move with a point before Elaine Daly equalised for St. Ciaran's. Aine Dowd (2) and wing-forward Ruth O'Hart put Shannon Gaels in a good position before Aisling Egan in goal had to be alert to thwart a pass from Rachel Fitzmaurice to Elaine Daly before Daly fired over a point to leave just two point between the teams at the break.

On the resumption substitute Aisling McDermott pointed before Aisling O'Hart provided full-forward Sorcha Bruen with an opportunity to open her account which she duly took. Then the goal came as Aisling McDermott carried the ball unopposed for 30 metres before hitting a shot into the top corner. Within a minute the same player pointed after winning good possession and Shannon Gaels were eight points to the good. Laura Fleming pointed a free for St. Ciaran's as they started to make inroads in the Gaels defence but couldn't complete the final telling pass to carve an opening for a goal. Aising O'Hart sent over her long overdue score in the 54th minute and after that Shannon Gaels played out the final minutes. Captain Ruth O'Hart received the Cup from County Board Secretary Marie McAleer while Aisling O'Hart received the Player of the Match from Treasurer Anne-Marie Hynes. Apart from the outstanding defenders mentioned forwards Aine O'Dowd, Aisling McDermott and Sorcha Bruen (second-half) all played significant parts but Aisling O'Hart played the part of a centrehalf-forward to perfection. She ran the show from start to finish, always an outlet for the defence, was involved in most of the scoring moves, carried the ball to create overlaps and then placing teammates with perfectly timed passes, and also found time to pop up on the wings to win kickouts. Shannon Gaels won't have time to rest on their laurels as they face Leitrim's Drumkeerin in Carrick-on Shannon on Sunday at 12.30pm

Shannon Gaels: A. Egan, M. Hanley, C. Corrigan, L. Duignan, N. O'Brien, C. Glancy, A. Filan, T. Murtagh 0-1, S. O'Dowd, C. Cregg, A. O'Hart 0-1, R. O'Hart 0-1, A. O'Dowd 0-3(1f), S. Bruen 0-1, N. Flanagan. Subs: C. Doyle for L. Duignan, A. McDermott 1-2 for N. Flanagan, M. O'Dowd for M. Hanley, C. Noone for C. Glancy, S. Cregg for A. Filan.

St. Ciaran's: P. Daly, A. Whyte, N. Connolly, S. Keaveney, E. O'Rourke, S. Crean, C. Brennan, N. Brandon, S. Fitzmaurice, A. Beades, R. Brennan, H. Ennis, L. Flemimg 0-2(1f), E. Daly 0-2, R. Fitzmaurice. Subs: M. Brennan for A. Whyte, F. Connell for M. Brennan, A. Brandon for C. Brennan.